Neutral Jing
by Marla.and.RubyT
Summary: To be a Kyoshi Warrior, one must first master Neutral Jing. Ty-Lee has not.  Ty-Luki! Because this pairing needs more love. Shoujo-Ai.


_Hello. For all those who don't know us, we're Marla and RubyT._

_Now, this little story used to be posted under a 'fic dump' section for avatar stories. Well...that didn't work out. You see, lately we've been shying away from ATLA fanfiction. Don't get us wrong, we still love team avatar to death, but lately other animes have taken over our brains and made their horrible nests there (*cough*Naruto*cough*)._

_Regardless, we decided to re-post this as a stand-alone fic. Just to see if it actually has any merit, or if this one-shot is really just total crap. Please Review! We would love you forever for it!_

_^-^ Loves: Marla and RubyT_

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><p><strong><em><span>Disclaimer Monster<span>: __Ah, so nice to be back! ^-^_**

**_Neither Marla nor RubyT own ATLA. They are just two teenaged girls with spare time and crappy writing abilities that obsess over tv shows waaay too much._**

**Warnings: Yuri feelings. That means girlXgirl love, people! Nothing explicit though, so don't expect pervyness.**

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><p><em><span>Neutral Jing<span>_

She was too just too much.

Too much emotion. Too much energy. Too much personality.

In retrospect, it made sense why Azula had included her in her little threesome of evil. She was everything the other girl wasn't. The dark, gloomy one that always hangs around Zuko (and by the looks of it, probably always did). Suki could never remember the knife-thrower's name. Even as the current Firelord's fiancé, remembering that woman's name just seemed…irrelevant.

Suki would never forget hers though. Ty-Lee. Beautiful, bubbly, loud, obnoxious, little Ty-Lee. She was so vibrant. So talkative. Half the time the Kyoshi warrior wondered if she just liked to hear herself talk. Chattering on and on even when alone. Never once slowing down. Suki could understand that. Slowing down often meant death for people like them. People without their bending as a comfort to fall back on. People forced to fight against the elements rather than with them. Talking meant conscious thought, and conscious thought meant life. A reminder of what they had risked every single day back during the war. Something they could have so easily lost back then.

Or maybe not. Maybe Ty-Lee was just empty-headed and needed attention every single second of her life just to feel valid. But Suki preferred the former explanation. It was far easier for her to accept. As a Kyoshi warrior, self-discipline is essential. Standing out just wasn't an option. She refused to believe a fellow warrior would want to stand out purely for the attention alone.

The way of the Kyoshi warrior was simple. React. Everything was a reaction to the world around them. Kyoshi warriors were not trained to act, but to wait and hone their neutral jing to perfection. Avatar Kyoshi herself exercised this principal in every affair. From her stand off with Chin the Conqueror to her solution to political unrest in Ba Sing Se, Kyoshi was patient. Staying out of affairs as long as she could; waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The perfect opportunity to save the day.

Avatar Kyoshi was an inspiring woman. Suki is proud to hold the honor of being trained in her ways.

The ways that Ty-Lee just wasn't grasping. The ways that the little ball of vibrant pink energy currently standing before her (why she still refers to her energy as pink she isn't sure; Ty-Lee wears the same uniform as they all do now) would never truly understand.

She acted. Her presence was always known. Her every emotion plain on her face even in combat. Not like a true Kyoshi warrior. Not like Suki.

Even in her days with team avatar, where she had been more active and forward then she had any other period in her life, Suki had shown restraint. She mostly asked questions or gave answers. Anything else was usually to admit important things, things that _had_ to be said. She never hid her feelings but, as she was trained, they were always reactions. If they weren't emotions she could duplicate in the others around her, she would become stoic. It was simply her way. To mirror off the world around her. To be aware and to react and to be ready.

Back in team avatar, there were so many emotions floating around. So many different feelings she could reflect. So many personalities, clashing and combining and feeding off each other. Suki knew if she hadn't spent that summer with them, if she had just stayed on Kyoshi Island and a certain group of mysterious children hadn't been out provoking the Unagi so stupidly that fateful day, she would've never been able to stomach the woman before her, let alone train her.

Finally Suki cleared her throat, and the acrobat's attention was instantly back on her. Back from where it had fluttered to the doorway during her leader's quiet musings. Even with the Kyoshi hairpiece, Ty-Lee had remained adamant about keeping her hair up in its trademark braid. An unusual thing for a Kyoshi warrior, as such hairpieces weren't meant for that particular style, but Suki allowed it. She probably shouldn't have, Kyoshi warriors weren't meant to stand out. They were supposed to blend in with each other. They were a team after all.

"Ty-Lee, about your training…"

Before she continued, the acrobat blinked, the smile receding from her eyes even as it remained painted against her cheeks. When Suki lifted her hand to nervously fondle the closed fan at her side, tracing the edge of it with a gloved finger out of strange habit, Ty-Lee flinched. It was so small you wouldn't have noticed if one wasn't looking at just the right moment. The first time Suki had seen it happen, she'd mistaken it for suspicion; as if the girl was expecting a fight. Now she thinks it might be fear.

For some reason, she almost thinks Ty-Lee is expecting Suki to strike her. And for some reason, she doesn't think Ty-Lee would fight back if she did. She almost thinks the acrobat is expecting punishment. A punishment she would not hesitate to accept.

It's almost scary how Azula's influence lives on in certain people, even to this day.

"I know…" her voice interrupts before Suki can continue with her criticism. "I'm still getting used to the whole, react to the enemy's attacks with the sword-thingy…uh…thing. I'm used to just kinda striking people down, you know?" Her voice is almost nervous, but the blank grin never fades. "It's weird not _ever_ being allowed to make the first move."

The Kyoshi leader nods, offering a small, understanding smile. To her relief, it brings the joy back into Ty-Lee's eyes. "It's okay. Just keep working at it. And try not to get so distracted during meditation."

Leaching onto the encouraging words being offered as apposed to the thinly-veiled threats in her past, Ty-Lee nods vigorously and bows her head. Her eyes seem to sparkle. Whoever claimed that grey was a dull color had obviously never looked into this woman's eyes.

"Okay Sensei! Don't worry, I'll do better!"

Her enthusiasm seems to have come out of nowhere. Always reacting, Suki feels her own smile stretch a little wider. "I don't worry. You're an excellent warrior Ty-Lee." The grin shrinks by a micrometer. "Just a little…different."

The acrobat cocks her head. "How so?"

Suki sighs. "Its nothing really, it's just that…Kyoshi warriors are usually less…"

"Less what?" There's a hint of nervousness now. She's expecting an insult. Or a backhanded compliment at the least.

"They just…they don't stand out as much. Our style revolves around the exercising of neutral jing and using our opponent's own force against them, rather than putting ourselves so out there like you do. What I'm saying is that, typically, Kyoshi warriors aren't so open."

Ty-Lee's grin fades, but she isn't upset. She's pondering those words, a thoughtful expression not unlike a pout reaching her lips. Watching her maul over the idea, a crazy thought pops into Suki's head.

_She looks really, really cute when she does that._

"It's okay to be open, you know." Her optimistic response snaps Suki back into reality. Ty-Lee's smiling again, big and proud on beautiful painted lips with an intoxicatingly bright pair of grey eyes to match.

Okay, so maybe Suki isn't quite back in reality yet, but she'll get there. She always does.

"You don't always have to just wait around and see what happens. If you want something, you should go for it!"

Suki isn't quite sure what this girl is talking about anymore...

"So I have an overbearing personality. So what? It feels good to let everything out! It's not healthy to hide your intentions all the time!"

Giggles are accompanying the girl's speech. That's the only thing keeping this conversation from feeling suspicious. Suki has never felt so uncomfortable. And yet, she feels really really good staring into those eyes.

Those eyes that will never belong to a true Kyoshi warrior.

There's a sneaking suspicion of hints being dropped. The strange feeling that Ty-Lee knows more than she lets on. But then again, Suki has misread these kinds of signals in the past. There's a time and a place for everything, and the last thing she wants is to feel rejected.

Ty-Lee's eyes are still locked on hers. Suki hadn't realized until now how close the other woman is actually standing. She can pinpoint every crack in her face paint, the tiny, tiny streaks where sweat had washed part of it away to reveal that smooth, Firenation skin. She licks her lips and prays that Ty-Lee doesn't notice.

"C-come on. Its getting late. We should go join the other girls for dinner…"

Neither woman moves. Ty-Lee's smile is soft now, so sweet and comforting. She lifts a hand, free from her Kyoshi gloves, and gently runs her thumb over Suki's cheek. The warrior briefly wonders if there is actually any smeared makeup on her face, despite Ty-Lee whispering it softly as the half-hearted excuse it was.

"It's okay to exercise _positive_ jing every now and then, too. I'm sure Avatar Kyoshi would forgive you."

Again, that gnawing sensation that Ty-Lee knows more than she lets on. That her blank smiles aren't just covering up a mass of hot air.

Suki needed to back up. This was getting inappropriate. This was getting…strange. The way Ty-Lee was staring so deeply into her eyes, pleading and comforting at the same time. The thumb suddenly shifting so that a smooth hand could cup her cheek. The acrobat's former style of fighting hadn't given her Suki's rough calluses, as she had usually used only her fists in the past. Now, with all the training, she thought she could almost feel them starting to grow against the woman's skin, strengthening and characterizing it as those fingers rested against Suki's painted cheek.

Then Ty-Lee licks her lip, eyes still locked on hers. It was innocent, most likely an unconscious gesture. But it was more than enough to crumble what little resolve the Kyoshi leader had left.

To no surprise, Ty-Lee tasted like sugar. Like she had been sneaking extra dumplings while nobody was looking and that was the reason why she was so damned hyper all the time. Her lips themselves were slightly waxy from all the paint, something Suki wasn't used to experiencing in such a manner. But they were soft and gentle and yet somehow entirely eager at the same time. When they parted and a soft tongue was gently nudging against her own painted lips, she couldn't help but gasp.

Suki had never gasped during a kiss before. Gasping meant loosing control.

But Suki had never been too much of a control freak and so she didn't have time to ponder that, let alone the soft moan that came when that same tongue was exploring the inside of her mouth, mapping it out in sweet, soft exploration.

When it was over, both girls were panting slightly. One of Ty-Lee's hands had somehow found its way weaving through the back of Suki's hair, careful to avoid her hairpiece. The other was still cupping her cheek. Meanwhile, Suki had let both hands rest on each one of her friend's shoulders. They bumped their foreheads together and just breathed for a moment.

When Suki opened her eyes, Ty-Lee was staring back at her again. Her smile was wide and honest the happiest one Suki had possibly ever seen on any other person, ever. Her eyes were so bright she vaguely thought they might burst, before rethinking about how absolutely stupid that sounded.

Neither was sure what to say, but Ty-Lee said it anyway.

"That was…wow…and uh…wow!"

Before now, Suki hadn't thought it possible for anything to leave her new friend so speechless. It was a miracle her own brain hadn't completely self-destructed.

"Was that jing _positive_ enough for you?"

Luckily she'd managed to pick up a thing or two about tension-breaking style teasing on her travels. After all, a certain ex-boyfriend was infamous for it.

Ty-Lee nodded slightly, their foreheads still resting against one another so that it was a bit awkward. "…Is it weird to say that I've wanted that for a really long time?"

Suki knew she was already smiling, but she felt it stronger after hearing those words. "What took you so long then?"

A small giggle bubbled from nowhere. "Just practicing my neutral jing I guess. My sensei says I need to work on it a little better…"

Said sensei nodded slightly, expression concentrated in mock thought. "Well…although it wasn't necessarily the best tactic to use in this situation – as I believe positive jing would have been much more effective – I can't argue with the results."

Batting her eyelashes, Ty-Lee giggled again and pecked her on the lips before pulling back slightly so that their foreheads no longer pressed. "So did I do good, sensei?" she teased, batting her eyelashes and pulling that adorably pouty look as a part of the act.

"Oh yes. Very good."

Suki pressed their lips together once again, ending it much quicker than they had the first time, but still allowing each other a brief moment to explore this new experience. When they did separate, Suki continued to hold her close, her arms having had at some point wrapped themselves around the acrobat's waist in a rather snug embrace.

"Just promise me you won't be practicing your _negative_ jing anytime soon…" she breathed softly against a painted ear.

Ty-Lee quickly wrapped her arms around the other woman's waist to mirror Suki's pose, the two fully embracing each other as they stood alone in the empty dojo. She pecked the warrior's cheek once before letting her face rest in the crook of her neck, their heavy uniforms just barely getting in the way.

"I promise."

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><p><strong>Marla: *Cough Cough* <strong>**Oh god! The fluff! I can't breath through all the fluff!**

**RubyT: *_pats Marla's back*_ Shhh...its okay...Just take deep breaths...**

_So...yeah. We really do love this pairing, even if its total crack. But really, crack has a beauty all its own if one chooses to look for it. Be it Yuri, Yaoi, Het, or OT3, every pairing deserves at least some consideration._

_Besides, who else is Suki gonna mac with after Sokka gets together with Toph? Ty-Lee is a sweet girl, she could use some love!_

**_R&R!__ It don't bite!_**

_(but preferably no flames...and NO COMPLAINING ABOUT YURI. DON'T LIKE? DON'T READ!)_


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